Radiant One is a Short Journey into the Effects of Lucid Dreaming

Many people are fascinated by the idea of lucid dreams.

Just being able to recognise that you’re in a dream and almost being able to control it brings about a whole world of possibility that not many people have tapped into. Radiant One, from independent game studio Fntastic, allows players to control Daniel, a character going through a series of lucid dreams, and work with his subconscious in order to escape the dangers that lie within.

Radiant One is a very short, story-driven experience. It took me only 30 minutes to complete, but still managed to leave an impression. Its graphics are simple and cubic, making the world that Daniel lives in plain and minimalist. This just makes the game’s dream sequences stick out that much more.

Once in Daniel’s lucid dreams, players will fly through the sky and realise why Daniel, a bored office worker, would find them fascinating. It allows him an escape, even briefly, from his dull life. But suddenly, things go wrong for him. There is a dark presence looming over his mind. You must keep away from it while also trying to understand what it could possibly be.

You move Daniel through the game’s environments, including his apartment and childhood home, by clicking which direction you would like to go. There are also occasional quick time events to perform in order to get away from incoming danger. By clicking through each level and each available item, Daniel with make comments that will guide you towards waking from his lucid nightmare.

Though Radiant One is a short experience I’m glad I got the chance to play through it. The soundtrack is worth a special mention, too; its relaxed, classical tones mixed with the frantic panicked ones make for a genuinely interesting playthrough.